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organized crime and ethnic and religious

sible. Yet behind the rhetoric lie serious impli-

hatred to the list.6 By 1998 the National

cations for peace and security. Environmental

Security Strategy was citing rapid population

degradation is a case in point, and the analysis

growth, new infectious diseases, and uncon-

here will extend to what actually happens

trolled refugee migration as issues having

when the environment is linked with national

important implications for American securi-

security, and the potential consequences for

ty.7 Even education is now officially a "critical

U.S. security and the democratic process. The

national security issue."8

main conclusions are that harnessing the

rhetoric of national security to social issues

Although the invocation of national securi-

risks rendering the term "security" meaning-

ty is sometimes simply a rhetorical device

less, to the extent that any policy action may

designed to attract attention and funding to a

be easily justified by invoking "national securi-

cause, there are nonetheless more profound

ty," with serious consequences for democracy,

reasons behind the process of "securitiza-

openness, and civil liberties. In addition,

tion"--and there are equally important objec-

efforts in furtherance of the new security goals

tions. The move toward an expansion of the

may actually end up decreasing America's

concept of U.S. national security started out

security by antagonizing other countries and

with the goal of reallocating (rather than elim

-

Harnessing the

promoting unbounded overseas intervention.

inating) unneeded military resources left over

rhetoric of

Some of the existing programs to enhance

from the Cold War. While that seemed sensi-

"environmental security," such as those

ble to some people at the time, the outcome

national security

addressing Russian nuclear waste, are also

has been somewhat different from the original

to social issues

misguided and ineffective, and it is clear that a

expectation. The so-called peace dividend,

risks rendering

threshold needs urgently to be defined to dif-

announced with euphoria during the Bush

ferentiate between a genuine environmental

administration, has given way to increased

the term "securi-

threat to U.S. security and an environmental

military spending during the Clinton admin-

ty" meaningless.

problem that should remain in the civilian

istration. Instead of seeing tax cuts, we now see

sphere or the responsibility of another coun-

a proliferation of government programs, often

try or organizational entity. Without such pol-

within the Department of Defense, designed

icy discrimination, the United States may end

to counter alleged new security threats.

up as the self-appointed armed protector of

Various other federal agencies and depart-

the global environment.

ments, all eager to get involved with the new

issues or to push their own causes using the

rhetoric of national security, have jumped

Why Environmental

onto the bandwagon. As a result, the reason-

Degradation and National

ing behind "securitizing" social issues has sub-

tly changed from its reallocation roots.

Security Don't Mix

Broadly speaking, the justification now rests

on three arguments: first, that social issues are

The linking of the environment with

becoming as important as military defense in

national security is a fashionable ploy in

an increasingly integrated world; second, that

today's policymaking. DoD is one of the

the health and well-being of other countries'

agencies most heavily involved, with defense

citizens are important to the United States

planners preparing for environmentally

because they contribute to a stable, secure

induced conflict, a new emphasis on the

world and healthy overseas markets; and,

cleanup of contaminated military bases, and

third, that factors such as resource depletion,

implementation of overseas environmental

global warming, and infectious diseases

programs, especially in Russia and the coun-

threaten human survival more than military

tries of Eastern Europe. In 1993 DoD estab-

action ever could.

lished the post of deputy under secretary of

Taken at face value, those claims look plau-

defense for environmental security, held to

3